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Updated | Minister’s wife appointment puts paid to meritocracy claims, says Opposition

Konrad Mizzi says he did not use his influence to get Malta Enteprise to appoint his wife a government envoy to Asia

24 September 2013, 12:00am
by Jerome Caruana Cilia

3 min read

Energy minister Konrad Mizzi and his wife Sai Mizzi Liang

The Nationalist Party has questioned the level of transparency with which the appointment of energy minister Konrad Mizzi's wife Sai Mizzi Liang as investment envoy to Asia, was carried out.

"Mizzi, Joseph Muscat and [economy minister] Chris Cardona must shoulder responsibility for what has happened," PN secretary-general Chris Said told the press when asked whether anyone had to resign over the appointment.

Energy minister Konrad Mizzi today brushed away calls by Opposition leader Simon Busuttil to resign from his post as minister, after his wife Sai Mizzi Liang was appointed a government envoy to Asia by Malta Enterprise.

The Labour government has so far taken no form of responsibility for the appointment of the minister's wife as an investment envoy, without any call for applications. The news prompted PN leader Simon Busuttil to suggest that Mizzi would resign, had he been a minister in another country.

Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami claimed that Mizzi Liang, ostensibly on a €40,000 salary and soon to be based in a Shanghai office, had been handpicked for the job. "I'm sure there are people out there who have as good a qualification for the job as the minister's wife."

"The impression given so far is that the sole criterion used for her appointment is the fact that she is Chinese," Said added, who asked for the government to reveal her full salary and benefits, her job description, and whether the appointment was discussed at Cabinet level and whether permission from Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had been sought.

"We also want to know whether Ms Mizzi Liang's parental links in Asia are being used for business connections in Malta."

Earlier today, asked whether he felt there was anything wrong with a minister's wife given a job by a government entity, Konrad Mizzi insisted that it was "for people to judge".

"All I can say is that I wasn't involved in the appointment, save for the discussion we held as a family after she was approached. But I am not here to defend my wife and I'm not her lawyer. If you have any questions, I refer you to who is responsible for the appointment," Mizzi told the press today at a primary school for the inauguration of the HSBC water conservation programme.

Mizzi also denied having used his influence with either Malta Enterprise, or the minister responsbile for investment, Chris Cardona.

"She was the one who was approached for the envoy's post... I'm not going to enter into the merits of how ME works," Mizzi said.

On his part, economy minister Chris Cardona yesterday said he had "no idea" how Mizzi's wife was recruited by Malta Enterprise, an entity for which Cardona is politically responsible. However, he insisted that Sai Mizzi Liang's recruitment did not require a public call "as she is specialised" in the area.

Cardona even claimed he did not know how the recruitment was done.

Malta Enterprise recruited Sai Mizzi Liang as its investment promotion envoy for Asia to promote Asian investment in Malta and Maltese exports in China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

She was described as being "excellently qualified for her mission", having Maltese citizenship while originally being a Chinese national, from Lianning.

Mizzi signed a memorandum of understanding with China Power Investments which included a multimillion cash injection to Enemalta, two weeks ago. Mizzi denied any family connections being involved in the deal secured by Malta in China, with a state-government corporation that will buy a reported 35% stake in Enemalta.

MaltaToday had asked whether the influence of his wife's Chinese family had played any part in securing close relations with China. "My family connections had nothing to do with this," Mizzi insisted. He also noted that while his wife was willing to help government, she had expressed the wish not to be involved in any of the energy ministry's activities.

More from Jerome Caruana Cilia

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Meritocracy at its best. Where was the application process? If this was done and she was chosen all well and good. And don't give me any crap of what was done previously. We were promised a new way of doing things and we got none of the sort.

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@Normal Citizen: I beg to differ. Your foot wreaks of anything but meritocracy.!!! Since when can you classify yourself as normal citizen? Normal are those that swept out with a clean brush your corrupt PN. Normal are those that have a clean mind to work things out independently of the brainwashing of the corrupt PN. Normal are those that see the truth and can accept it. To try and shame a Minister who is doing his utmost to clean up the mess your corrupt PN left behind, a Minister who knows exactly what Malta needs and works directly for this goal, is disgusting. It is you who should be ashamed of yourself. Where were you when your PN changed the environment laws to allow heavy fuel oil to pollute our air. Where were you when your PN crucified NORMAL citizens and industry alike with massive energy bills. Did you protest then or were you so brainwashed that you didn't know the difference.

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@Toni Borg. X'korruzzjoni hi? Hallini nfehmek. Fl-ghazla ta' envoy m'hemmx applikazzjoni. Int sempliciment tappunta persuna li jidhirlek tista taqdi dik il-funzjoni a bazi ta' kwalifiki u esperjenza. Dan mhux xi job komuni li jista ghalih japplika kulhadd. Envoys ohrajn fi zmien il-PN intghazlu b'dan il-mod. Nehhi l-ghamad minn quddiem ghajnejk u titkellimx bl-addocc ghax tkun qed tinfama bla bzonn.

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@chikku: you ended your argument that two wrongs don't make a right. That is very true. But the truth of the matter, as you explained earlier in your argument, was that Ms Mizzi Liang was clearly qualified and it was established that she was consulted by the PN BEFORE the election but was not acceptable afterwards. So There was no wrong, and by your very same argument the wrong perpetrated by the PN rests the only wrong on the table. So your concluding argument is baseless and meaningless by your earlier assertions alone. The issue with the corrupt PN is that they are introducing the argument of Nepotism NOW in a REVERSE manner. If a person is absolutely capable and meritorious of a job, if he is related to any PL official, then his employment is a crime. It was a crime committed by the PN in Government that they discriminated against so many excellently meritorious people simply because they had connections or relatives in the PL. THAT IS CRIMINAL, DISCRIMINATORY and ABHORRENT. That is what you should have attacked Chikku.

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Who says there are not many Maltese who speak 'Mandarin'? Ask Gonzi/SimonPN Party! They hey all speak mandarin -especially during their last 5 years of their mal-administration- indeed nobody understood their language or their programme! Mela sew, Il-PN iqabbad lil Mrs Mizzi biex taghmel xoghol ghal Gvern Nazzjonalista, imma ghal Gvern laburista ma tistax! Anqas jisthu jaqghu ghac-cajt! Mela Said u Fenech Adami kull minn mhux Nazjonalist bhalhom ghadhom jahsbuh CUC? Negativiszmu u hdura u qrus galore!

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L-aqwa li sar kollox ghal gid tal-pajjiz. Min Imaqdar Irid Jixtri u L-Ispizjar milli jkollu jaghtik. Ma nghamlux bhal Kajjin . Saviour Falzon Hal-Qormi

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Yes, this administration has had a string of appointments which reek of nepotism and favouritism to say the least. But I think the PN picked a poor example to highlight. The lady is clearly qualified. No, there are not many qualified in Malta as her and: No, the post was not created for her but rather it became available because predecessor (also a Chinese speaker) changed jobs. And to all the PL apologists arguing that PN did the same: To wrongs don't make a right.

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Of course how does the PL dare appoint a person to drum busines in the Far East specially China and Hong Kong if she only has a post graduate degree from one of the best UK universities and a first degree from one of the best Chinese Universities. If only she had a degree in theology or Maltese or some local legal specialism perhaps she could have even been appointed to a chairmanship of Malta Enterprise or as senior consultant at a gov ministry.

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In-Nazzjonalisti biss jistghu jaghmluhom dawn l-affarijiet. Kellna lil Dolores Cristina thaddem it-tifel taghha fil-Ministeru u hatriet ohra ghal familjari taghha. http://www.maltastar.com/dart/20100516-dolores-cristina-son-runs-life-long-learning-programme http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Minister-s-son-in-law-was-appointed-to-medical-post-after-three-months-on-register-20120410

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We had Demarco -a PN's minister- giving consultancy to his own government! We also had Gonzi's son working as a consultant with the Governmnet! Bhas-soltu taghhom ifugh tal- pl jintenn!

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HAS THE NATIONALIST PARTY FORGOTTEN ON WHAT BASIS OF MERITOCRACY HAD RICHARD CACHIA CARUANA BEEN APPOINTED MALTA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE EU, AND THE ABSOLUTE MONARCHY HE CREATED THEREAT. HAS IT FORGOTTEN DISHING OUT OVER € 400000 IN COMPENSATION WHEN PARLIAMENT DECREED THAT HE HAD ACTED AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF THE NATION.!!!! HAS THE NATIONALIST PARTY FORGOTTEN THE DIRECT APPOINTMENT OF BLUE-EYED GEORGE SAPIANO AND THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF EUROS IT AWARDED HIM. IF THE NATIONALIST PARTY HAS FORGOTTEN THE ARROGANT APPOINTMENTS IT MADE DURING ITS REIGN OF OLIGARCHIC NEPOTISM, THEN WE CAN REMIND THEM OF A NUMBER MORE OF SUCH APPOINTMENTS. IT IS REALLY A QUESTION OF THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK, ONLY THIS TIME ROUND THE KETTLE IS BRAND NEW AND IMPECCABLE WHILE THE POT IS AS DIRTY AS CAN EVER BE IMAGINED.

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@ Sagitarius Dak li qabel kontu tajdulu korruzzjoni illum qedin issejhulu xoghol ghaqli!!! Ipokresija grassa najdula bil Malti! Ara veru lis spizjar milli jkollu jtik!!!

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Meritocracy my foot. SHAME ON YOU minister

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Scraping the barrel a bit aren't we?. If you can find nothing to criticise,criticise anyway seems to be the order of the day. Thankfully the electorate,in their majority, will not take too much notice of these" hollers for blood". Desperate ,desperate.

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What a bunch of bad losers. They will continue to put spokes in the wheel, their efforts will be relentless. But they will eventually fail. Labour must continue implementing its electoral mandate and let them rot in their nonsense.

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The PN know all about meritocracy, they have been abusing it themselves for MANY years. Yet another case of the pot calling the kettle black?

Luke Camilleri •

Maybe Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami might recommend his brother Michael for the Post ... he must surely be a GENIUS having just been employed at Dar Centrali at the same time that hundreds of employees are being laid off! ~ Who interviewed him for the post Beppe himself or maybe Chris Said ?

joseph mercieca •

Mrs. Mizzi was hired with the same manner in which the previous administration hired consultants, law firms to represent government and its entities. Not to mention the swarm persons hired with obscure terms of reference in a myriad of government posts. Where the people informed of what was happening. No. So for the PN transparency is a no go area they are hurling stones when their abode is made of the finest crystal.

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Lill Simon Busuttil. Dr Busuttil, tista tghidilna kemm taf nies ta Nazzjonalita Maltija li jafu jitkelmu bil Mandarin u xi Lingwi Orjentali ohra u li huma kapaci ghal dan ix-xoghol li ghalih giet impjegata Mrs Mizzi. Jekk ma taf lill hadd uallura ghax instabet wahda li habtet li hi mizzewga ministru ma ninpegawiex? Taf kemm nies parantiela ta Ministri gew impegati mal gvern u korpi fi zmien il-Partit tieghek fil-gvern? Ma rridx inkun pastas u hamallu u nibda nsemmilhekk. Biss jekk ma tafx (ghalkemm ghandi dubji kbar li ma tafx) ghidilna f'din il gazzetta u nsemmilek lista mhux hazin ta nies li gew impjegati.

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One has to question the state of mind of the opposition leader Simon Busuttil, when he asks for Minister Konrad Mizzi’s resignation because the minister’s wife Sai Mizzi Liang has accepted an appointment as a government envoy to represent Malta Enterprise within the pacific basin. In all honesty, Malta should be gratified that someone so familiar with the business customs of the whole area, having personal connections that should be immensely beneficial to Malta and its connections there and speaks the language so fluently has decided to accept this engagement. Just yesterday, Madame Legarde of the IMF gave an interview on BBC world wide news, where she confirmed that the IMF is encouraging more female participation, because their research has shown that most countries will expand their economies on an average of five per cent. One would dare say that such interviews do not interest Mr. Busuttil. Does Mr. Busuttil expect Ms. Mizzi Liang to sit idle at home because her husband happens to be a minister within the present administration and any involvement on her part would stir questions of nepotism? Over 25 years of PN administrations, Malta had experienced numerous occasions and scandals where ministers and their wives were involved in separate political or business ventures. Yet no one had ever heard Mr. Busuttil calling for any PN cabinet ministers resignations. Mr Busuttil leaves the impression that this Muscat administration has to get approval from the opposition leader whenever one of the state entities decides to make an appointment of significant benefit to this island. He portrays a picture that in his mind the Muscat administration cannot function unless he approves the appointments. Is this a sign of inexperience or incompetence and until time will expose the real cause, one must not put the cart before the horse as Mr. Busuttil has elected to perform his electoral duties. Last week Mr. Busuttil threw a tantrum because Minister Mizzi signed a Memorandum of Understanding between China Power and Enemalta without first waiting for the end result. This week once again he has thrown a tizzy because of an appointment for a government envoy because he feels that there were no calls for applications. Does he really expect that someone within the Maltese Islands is better qualified or is he simply stir-frying in the wok for the simple reason that he has nothing of substance to complain about Ms.Sai Mizzi Liang credentials? Would Mr. Busuttil mind telling the Maltese people whether if and when he might be elected to run a government, wives and husbands of ministers and members of parliament would be required to become irrelevant?

Paul Pandolfino •

Nepotism at its best. One thing labour is doing better than the previous Govt.

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Ir raguni li fdawn l ahhar 25 sena qatt ma kellna qraba ta xi ex ministru li okkupat xi pozizzjoni bhall din as-semplici raguni li hadd minnhom ma kellu il quolifiki li ghanda Mrs Mizzi.Issa jekk kellna xi mara ta xi ex ministru bi quolifiki bhall din (ghall dan it tip ta ministeru)(mhux xi klerikali eh?)ikun interessanti li Simon isemmija.

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Dan kollu huwa 'hu ha' mill-PN u l-forcini taghhom.Dawn in-nies ma jifilhux jaraw il-PL jimxi b'kapacita kbira u johrog b'inizjattivi godda biex lil dan il-pajjiz johorguh mill-abbiss li tefghuh ta qabilhom. Lis-sinjura Mizzi ma impjeggahix zewgha fil-Ministeru tieghu stess, bhal ma kienet ghamlet Dolores Cristina ma binha (dan nahseb li insewh tal-PN!). Din ghandha dritt tahdem bhall haddiehor. Issa naraw x'kapaci taghmel imbaghad naghddu l-kummenti. Wish you well Mrs Mizzi.

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Mrs Mizzi is not going to cost us as much as the office of Alan Camilleri: four and a half million euros just for an office and without public call for tenders! Secondly i wonder why SimonPN finds time to criticize Mrs Mizzi but no time to criticize the Alibaba gang appointed by GonziPn-who ransacked EneMalta!800 million euros and Simon says nothing?

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There is no doubt in my mind that Sai Mizzi Liang's Chinese origin and her excellent qualifications makes her an ideal candidate to hold the post of envoy for Asia under Malta Enterprise. It is absolutely immaterial who she is, or who's wife she is. Meritocracy does not mean that excellent persons with absolute credentials are not employable simply because of who they are. Yet under the PN ticket, hundreds of excellent persons with impeccable qualifications and degrees were discarded because of their PL pedigree. That is what is sickly, Dr Simon Busuttil, and you were a full party to these atrocities and assumed responsibility for them once you accepted the leadership of the most corrupt Party in Malta's history.

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I wish you luck Mrs Sai Mizzi Liang,you are in the right country and at the right moment,to give us a helping hand with Asian country.

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Hadd mhu jikkritika ghax mhix kompetenti, imma sempliciment ghax hija mara ta ministru. Hemm xi ligi li timpedi nisa ta ministri li jkollhom impieg? F'dawn l-ahhar 25 sena QATT ma kellna qraba impjegati mal gvern u f'ministeri?

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Malta mhux taghhom Ikolll? allura x'fiha hazin billi martu tinghata JOb, jewwilla ma ghandix dritt daqskemm ghanu haddiehor? Din hija bhal meta jigi xi sehretarju biex ihallas taxxa fuq xi daghjsa u ghaliex l-iskrivan jghidlu biex igib id-dokumenti, dan is -segretarju jghid isma din ta dak l-alla u jitlaq. Wara jigi dak l-alla biex in ghalih jaghmilha tal bully u meta xorta ma taghdix tieghu imur ghand xi had tal familja u xorta tghaddi teighu u ma ihallas dak li huwa dovut. Imma mara ta ministru ma ghandix dritt ghal Job, u halluna ja qatta oqbra imbajda.